unto them as it was unto Abraham And so it was with the Proselytes their seed as with the Jewes and their seed And though this be a most evident truth yet you say it may in no wise be granted that the Covenant is made with all beleevers as with Abraham yea though they have the like spirituall priviledges as Abraham had yet you resolve not to grant it and it is not materiall whether you grant it or no. Now that they are all fathers as Abraham was I will not take upon mee to prove but this I know that they are in the same covenant and have the same spirituall priviledges which Abraham had As for your affirmatton that all these are the seed and the onely seed and children of Abraham For explanation I answer as before that if Noah was Abrahams father Abraham was not his father and therefore Abraham was not the father of all those beleevers that were before he was borne for Noah Abrahams father was a beleever And to this agrees your owne words for you say beleevers are the seed yea all beleevers and onely all beleevers are the onely seed and the seed onely and therefore you may see that Abraham though he were a father yet he was part of the seed for I thinke you will not deny him to be a beleever Whereas you say that if it were otherwise then must they be comprehended Gen. 17.7 8. under the tearme thee and then the rest of the phrase to wit and to thy seed would be in vaine and superfluous which to thinke were very irrationall I answer That this which you have sayd will not stand with reason for you should know that if the covenant did appertaine to Abrahams sâ—ed in no wise as to Abraham then the rest of the phrase to wit and to thy seed would be in vaine and superfluous which to thinke would be very irrationall indeed And the like wee may say concerning Peters application of the promise unto beleevers and their children that if it is bound up onely in the parents then Peter might have rested at those expressions concerning the parents particular persons and onely have sayd thus Act. 2.39 the promise is unto you and not have added these words and to your children Abundance of testimonies of sacred Scripture might be cited where the seed and generation of the faithfull are declared to be in the promise with their parents but this may suffice which hath been spoken that wee may not exclude the holy off-spring and blessed issue of the blessed but whensoever wee happen upon any such place of Scripture where the seed is said to be in the blessing with the parents especially considering that the Scripture affecteth brevitie wee ought then to mind that if the blessing be bound up from the infants in the parents then the words are in vaine and supâ—rfluous where their children seed off-spring and issue are mentioned But seeing that the promise to the seed is not vaine nor superfluous nor ever was it is irrationall to thinke that God is not the same God in extending his grace and mercy to the seed of beleevers as to themselves Next you say Lin. 32. Put the case it be granted them to be fathers as they doe desire to be like to Abraham then must they be fathers of onely such as beleeve and not untill they beleeve for according to the tenor of this new Covenant and in the Gospel sense Abraham himselfe is father of none other nor otherwise Ans Though in some respects we desire to be fathers as Abraham was yet far be it from us to desire to be fathers as he was in every respect You shall not father such a thing upon us Wee desire to be fathers as Abraham was though not in every respect and it is lawfull for us so to do yea our duty not only to desire it but to strive to imitate Abraham in instructing our families and teaching them the way of life according as every one of them is capable to receive instruction But though some of our children doe degenerate as some of Abrahams children did yet it maketh not the promise uneffectuall to the rest no more then it did to the rest of the children of Abraham who wâ—s a father of them in the Gospel sence as wee are fathers of theâ—e our children who abide in our righteous steps And wee are fathers of our own infants otherwise then wee are of the unbeleeving Jewes and Turkes for ours wee know are in the covâ—nant but the other wee know are not untill they doe beleeve But whâ—n they doe beleeve then have they as great priviledges for their infants as Isaac had for his infants And these are as those were and therefore as it was warrantable for those to be sealed then so is it warrantabâ—e fâ—r these to be sealed now But hence you affirme That Publicans and Harlots may be the seed A. R. and have as much right to Baptismâ— as any beleevers seed or as any of Abrahams owne naturall seed for all and every of these must first repent and then be baptized Act. 2.38 Ans If this be forcible against beleevers infants it is of force against themselves and if such a reason could have bin strong against Abrahams infants then against Abraham himselfe for the Heathens then might become converts as well as now Moreover I tell you that it is not to the poynt for us to look what persons may be or may have right unto but what persons are or must be judged to be and what they have right unto and therefore this position of yours is very impertinently brought against Infants right to the covenant or Baptisme especially considering that the infants of beleevers are neither publicans nor harlots nor to be ranked with them or their infants till the publicans and harlots cease to be so and God create in them a new spirit as he doth in the infants of the faithfull and so circumcise their hearts and make them new creatures and give them the same blessing which Christ gave unto the Israelites inâ—ants whom he took up in his armes and imposed his hands upon and blessed Whereas you further adde that Vpon the same tearmes may any yea the most wicked in the world and their seed be baptized Ans It is true that the infants of those who are penitent and in Gods covenant though they were formerly wicked are to be baptized as well as their parents But note this that Baptisme is a confirmation of their being in Covenant as Circumcision was to Abraham and his infants and to the Proselytes and their infants Touching your reason for this which you annex * Pag. 20. at lin 4. to wit that the partition wall is now broken down and that the Gospel knows no difference between any but is to be preached to every creature in the world and so you cite Mar. 16.15 16 Mat. 28.19 Gal 6.15 8.29 I answer That though the former
this see his treatise of bapt p. 11. and having their spirituall priviledges as they have had heretofore Consider throughly the words of Peter how at the very preaching the Gospel of Repentance to the parents in the application thereof he did not barre out but expresly mentioneth their children and if wee doe but seriously weigh the Text and compare it with other places of Scripture which set forth the blessednes of the children with the parents we may well conceive that it is meant of holy infants as hath been formerly observed And as I plead for none to be baptized before they doe beleeve so I plead for none to have the Gospel applyed unto them before they have faith by imputation and that is to be judged by some visible rule out of Gods Word But the infants of beleevers have faith by imputatioÌ„ as is proved before therefore in this consideration they are beleevers holy and spirituall a 1 Cor. 7.14 and therefore the Gospel may be lawfully applyed unto them b Mar. 10 13 16. Mat. 19.13 14 15. Luk. 18.15 16 17 See Luk. 1.76 and What letteth water that these may not be baptized which have received the holy Spirit as well as wee c Acts 10.47 As for actuall profession or verball demonstration of faith God hath not required the children of beleevers to performe in their owne persons in the time of their infancie which thing though they are not able to doe yet they are in the faith of Christ and shall certainly be saved though they die in their infancie for God will be no more wanting unto them then to their parents d Isa 22.24 Heb. 13.8 It is to be minded that God baptizing e 1 Cor. 10.1 2 many families f Ex. 12.21.37.41 Ps 77.17 19 20 did not exempt such children from the parents but baptized those persons that passed through the Sea both men women and children young and old And so in the middest of their afflictions by this Oracle gave these faithfull g Heb. 11.29 persons a glimpse of that which should be in the dayes of the Messias where one element and passive ordinance should be generall for all his precious Saints both young and old So the Apostles baptizing many families did not omit their infants neither can wee finde in all the New Testament that ever the infants of the faithfull are exempted in expresse words nor can it be gathered by necessary consequence The Apostle Peter maketh the Baptisme in the Arke equivolent with our Baptisme now a 1 Pet 3.20 21. And Paul declared that he would not have the beleeving Corinthians ignorant * 1 Cor. 10.1 2 that God baptized his Church then which consisted of many families in which there were many infants who were the approoved subjects of Circumcision b Exod. 12.48 Jos 5.2 5 7. and of that Baptisme then And therfore Baptisme now being a generall ordinance yea and alwayes more generall in the administration then Circumcision ever was yea and it being given to all the visible members of Christs body c Mat. 28.19 Mar. 16.16 amongst whom the infants of beleeving parents are no small number d Zach. 8.5 Luke 18.15 16 17. Isa 22.24 they ought to be baptized both male and female thereby to set forth the excellent benefits which they have by Christ A. R. A Third argument of theirs say you is from 1 Cor. 7.14 where it is said Else were your Children uncleane but now are they holy Pag. 3. l. 39 to pag. 4. l. 3. Whence you say they thus reason If the Children of beleeving parents be holy that is to say in the new Covenant then they may have the seales of the Covenant and be baptized To which I adde this argument both for explanation and confirmation of the former All those persons whom wee ought to judge to have the invisible Seale even the holy Spirit of promise Eph. 1.13 ought to be esteemed spiritually holy and in the new Covenant and ought to be baptized * Act. 10.47 Mat. 28.18 19 Mar. 16.15 16 Act. 10.47 But the infants of one or both beleeving parents ought to be esteemed to have the invisible Seale even the holy Spirit of promise * 1 Cor. 7.13 14. Exod. 12.48 Luke 18.15 16 17. John 3.5 A. R. 1 Cor. 7.13 14. Therefore the infants of one or both beleeving parents ought to be judged spiritually holy and in the new Covenant and ought to be baptized Your Reasons that they are not in the new Covenant are * Pag. 4. l. 22 23. Pag 4 l. 3 4 5. to l. 13. First Because there is now but one Covenant on foot which is a covenant of grace and salvation Secondly Because there is but one manner of entering and being in that Covenant Thirdly That there is but one holinesse now acceptable with God which is inward spirituall c. To which I answer that the like you may say of the members of the visible Church which doe actually and verbally professe faith As if you should say thus unto them There is but one new Covenant now on foot therefore you beleevers are not in it This reason is threed-bare Secondly There is but one manner of entering and being in that Covenant therefore you are not of that Covenant This is as poor as the other Thirdly Because there is no holinesse accepted with God but that which is inward spirituall and in truth c. Therefore you beleevers are not in the new Covenant nor ought to be baptized Is not this mad kind of reasoning But to performe that which you promised you should have proved that the infants of beleevers are not spiritually holy nor never did or can enter in the new covenant and then I would have said you had done somewhat like to that you tooke upon you to doe but instead of taking awaâ—â—he position that infants are holy and in the new covenant you tell us that there is but one covenant the manner of entering into it and abiding in it but one the holinesse now acceptable with God to be but one To which I further answer that though a person be not holy internally nor under the new covenant in Gods secret acount yet in our acount he is to be esteemed to be in the new covenant An hypocrite may make a glorious shew yea and seeme in outward acts of obedience to goe further then a true Saint 1 Cor. 13. He may give his goods to the poore and his body to be burned and yet want love Ob. But peradventure you will aske how then we must judge of an hypocrite An. Surely as the faithfull Disciples of Christ judged of Judas Judas had a Saint-ship an Apostle-ship and a Deacon-ship *** Mat. 10.1 2 4 16. Matk 3.14.19 6.7 12 13. Luke 9.1.10 Iohn 12.4.5 6 13.29 Symon Magus also had an outward Saint-ship * Act. 8.12.13 upon him An hypocrite or saint outwardly I
Joh. 1.29 But our chiefe poynt is not here about ceremoniall circumstantiall shadowes for we all grant that the ceremonies of the old law are ceased And to argue that because they were then subject to legall pollution and some of them had it that therefore they had not the inward and spirituall cleannesse is a vaine and groundlesse thing so to thinke for the Good Lord was mercifull unto every one that prepared his heart to seek the Lord the Lord God of his Fathers though he were not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary * 2 Chro. 30.18 19. They had not time to purifie themselves yet they did eat of the Passeover that is though he had not that outward purification which you speak of And their purifications and washings which you mention * Pag. 6. lin 11. they were to teach them the benefit which they had and were to have spiritually by Jesus Christ Their circumcision of the flesh * Gen. 17.10 11. Rom. 4.11 also was to teach them the Circumcision of the heart * Deut. 10.16 all which circumstantiall Ordinances though they are ceased yet we have the substance of them in other Ordinances and that outwardly And further it is to be minded concerning the people of Israel that their conformitie unto the Lawes of God did really demonstrate unto men that they were spiritually holy and so now the conformitie of Gods people to the Lawes of God doth give sufficient demonstration of their holinesse in the sight of men whereby they are to judge them to be communicable persons in a spirituall way And though the uncircumcised were then unholy as you speak * Pag. 6. lin 9. yet they were such uncircumcised who were not to be judged circumcised in their hearts and though persons then were circumcised both in heart and flesh and did yeeld universall obedience to Gods commands See Lev. 14.8 yet through some accident they might have a kinde of ceremoniall defilement and yet retaine their visible holinesse still You should also mind that the people of Israel after the Law was given in Mount Sinai many of them were uncircumcised in flesh * Josh 5.5 yet they were at the time of their uncircumcision a holy peculiar people unto God and none were like unto them * Deut. 7.6 26.18 19. 33.29 and therefore your alledging that there was a difference between the circumcised and the uncircumcised and that the circumcised Israelites might not then companie with the uncircumcised Heathens is of no force against this truth even that the Infants of beleevers have that holinesse which accompanieth faith Some uncircuÌ„cised persons might be accompanied with and some Circumcâ—sed persons might not be accompanied with for though circumcised persons were not to accompany with the uncircumcised yet it was meant of those uncircumcised persons who were aliens from the common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promise and not of those who were then members of the Church of God and therefore it was not meant of all uncircumcised persons for then the parents should not have kept company with their Infants before they were circumcised but were to deliver them to other uncircumcised persons to keep till the eight day wherein they were circumcised And then the uncircumcised beleeving Gentiles were not to be circumcised by the circumcised but by the uncircumcised Which to dreame is meere foolishnesse and therefore it appeareth that your Collections have no footing against holy infants To the poynt then Seeing that the Infants of beleevers though uncircumcised might be accompanied with in the time of their uncircumcision and that by the circumcised It evidently sheweth that there was a great difference between them and the heathen Infants of uncircumcised unbeleevers And seeing the uncircumâ—ised infants of beleevers might be lawfully accompanied with and were different then from unbeleevers it is appareÌ„t that they were holy then though uncircumcised And seeing that beleevers infants though uncircumcised were holy in the time of the Law and distinguished by their holinesse from the Infants of unbeleevers and seeing that Jesus Christ is still one and the same and that the ceremoniall holines is ceased it plainly argueth that when the Apostle Paul â—aketh in 1 Cor. 7.14 of the holy children of beleevers had by a sanctified wife he meaneth such a holines which is not ceased but remaineth permanent and doth visibly demonstrate those persons who have it to have right to Baptisme And as Circumcision did not give faith to the Infants of the Church nor adde the Infants of the Church to the Church no more then any other person but rather confirme them in it So Baptisme now doth not bring regeneration or faith unto such or unto any other persons as many fondly imagine neither doth it adde them to the Church but rather confirme them therein Touching Peters vision which you mention Pag. 6. lin 15. that God shewed him that he should not call any man polluted or uncleane It is good to understand in what sense it is spoken for wee may rightly caâ—l all the visible members of Antichrist polluted let them be what they will be high or low great or small though they have and usurpe the ordinances of God yet they are polluted persons so long as they remaine in that estate even as the Apostates in the time of the Law though they usurped circumcision and other Ordinances yet they were polluted persons and these remaining in that sinfull estate they are not cleane neither legally nor evangelically To your inference * Lin. 8. from Act. 10.13 I answer That in the Gospel sense those that are seperated from Idolatry and those that are Idolaters are not all one in Christ Jesus for how can any be sayd to be in Christ so long as they are visibly out of Christ Wherefore it is to be understood that as the wicked of whatsoever Nation degree or sex they be Rom. 2.8 9. Rev. 22.15 are all one out of Christ so on the contrary the Saints of God of whatsoever Nation degree or sex they be are all one in Christ Rom. 10.11.12.13 Gal. 3.28 5.6 And this sheweth us to put a visible distinction between those who are visibly holy and those that are not But the infantâ— of beleevers are visibly holy as hath been proved before and therefore wee are to judge them in Christ and one with him members of his mysticall body and different from those who are not visibly holy but are out of the Covenant Whereas you say * Pag. 6. li. 25 26 27. that so now none are acceptable or ought to partake of the Gospel worship and ordinances without the Circumcision of Christ which is of the heart and Spirit I answer That one ought to be baptised before they are circumcised or washed spiritually in the heart at least so far as may be discerned by men neither ought any to presume without the inward
yet you may live many yeares after how doe you differ in understanding then from a childe Surely you are then in understanding like a childe little babe or infant and how then by your owne exposition will you answer the Apostle Be not children in understanding Surely at the time when you will want both will skill and abilitie to act any more then they what are you differing from them and wherein will your understanding exceed theirs Surely in consideration of these things you will grant that old men and others that are the true Saints of God may be like children in understanding and yet not breake their Covenant And in this declining or declined condition an aged Saint may in this respect be sayd to be as destitute of understanding as the youngest babe of a beleeving parent And he may be sayd to be still capable of the Spirit without being brought in any other covenant then he was in before though he be not capable to doe any spirituall action by way of manifestation but God must doe all in him Now though there be no difference between these two in respect of spiritualitie yet in some respects there is a difference The Infant is in nature growing upwards or in an inclining condition hath the seed of Christian graces in him the aged Saint before specified is in a declining condition the leaves of the tree are fallen no fruit appeareth yet the spirituall sap remaineth c. And the consideration of this doth teach us not to despise any of the Lords vessells either the infants for their minoritie or the old men for their antiquitie or the middle-aged for their bodily imbecilitie but to esteem of thē as they are according as the blessed spirit of God doth teach us in his sacred Word though through imperfection or defection of naturall abilitie they cannot actually and verbally manifest the fruits of their sanctification but are even as Children in understanding By this glimpse you may see that the Apostles words in 1 Cor. 14.20 when he exhorteth us Not to be children in understanding will not beare out your childish construction of the words of Christ whereby you would have us judge that he excluded infants All which is evill in you so to think much more to speake and worst of all in that you would boulster up your opinions by Pauls words in 1 Cor. 14.20 Which maketh nothing at all for your present purpose in your restriction and mis-application of Christs words where you thinke through the help of Paul 1 Cor. 14.20 to get some advantage or plea to keep back the holy infants of beleevers from the spirituall blessings which Christ Jesus hath testified appertaineth unto them which you thinke did not appertaine to those Infants which Christ took up in his armes and layd his hands upon and blessed And why doe you thus conceive Because it is sayd of such not of them But this word such will evidently appear being duly weighed by the Scripture to be of a larger extent then the word them and so to include all them especially considering that in all those places of Scripture where the word such is used there is no exemption either of the thing to which such is equalized or coupled for such implyeth the same in nature and condition c. So when Paul writeth to Philemon Philem 9 10. concerning Onessimus he sayth Yet for loves sake I rather beseech thee being such a one as Paul the aged He meaneth himselfe and when John sayth Blessed and happie is he that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death shall have no power c. Rev. 20.6 He meaneth by such those persons who have part in the first resurrection The word such being a generall word includeth them all And when Nehemiah sayth Nehe. 6.11 Should such a man as I fly He meaneth himselfe as much as any other man And so when David sayth Psal 103.17 18. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that feare him and his righteousnesse unto childrens children unto such as keep his Covenant He meaneth those that keep his Covenant for this mercy was promised to Abraham and his seed who were to keep his covenant by doing his commands So God said to Abraham Thou shalt keep my Covenant Therefore thou and thy seed c. Gen. 17. And the keeping of his Covenant consisted then and consisteth now in the Saints yeelding all obedience unto him according to their capabilitie And thus it appeareth that when David sayth to such as keep his Covenant he meaneth all those that keep his Covenant Divers other testimonies of Scripture concerning persons and things where this word such is mentioned might be produced which doth still include both the former the later in the specification thereof But this may suffice for in the mouth of two or three witnesses every thing is established This still giveth us more ground to beleeve that when Christ in his Gospel sayth concerning infants of such is the kingdome c. He meaneth those who are such in every respect and as it is contrary to reason so it is contrary to the Scripture to thinke that the infants in his speech were not implyed included if not principally intended Lastly Whereas you say it is meant of such as them in humilitie and such like qualifications I know not from what conception you ground your speech if not from this consideration that the infants mentioned heer in Christs Gospel have humilitie and such like qualifications You should know that although like is not alwayes the same yet the same is the same is as like unto it selfe as that which is like it in every respect and therfore Christs speech of Infants when he sayth Of such is the kingdome c. implyeth the infants as well as other Saints who are like them in understanding though they differ in yeares I say Christs speech is not bound up from them nor from any other Saints though they are like them in every respect And if they have humilitie according to your own grant then you may know also that God will not reject them He hath promised to give grace to the humble Jam. 4.6 To save them Job 22.29 To uphold them Pro. 29.23 And to dwell in them Isa 57.15 and sanctifie them and renovate them by his Spirit And seeing they have humilitie Christ is in them and they in him and therefore they are new creatures and the * 2 Cor. 5.17 holinesse which accompanieth them by your own grant giveth them right to Baptisme And these new creatures have new created spirits Deut. 30.6 to whom is united the Spirit of the Creator * Isa 44.3 and Christ by him quickneth whom he will Joh. 5.21 which Spirit maketh intercession for them when they cannot intercede for themselves All which priviledges the infants of beleevers have and though they cannot manifest the same actually
circumcision of the flesh was to teach them it being the signe k Gen 17.11 and seal l Rom. 4 11. Col. 2.11 12. of the righteousnesse of faith as baptisme is now And this you may minde also that though the rebellious seed of Abraham according to the flesh were rejected m Esay 2.6.9 yet the strangers that joyned to the Lord were still received n Esay 56.3 4 5 6 7 8. wherefore this is a plain evidence that they stood by the grace and life of God and Christ and circumcision of the heart for the cause why God rejected some of the circumcised seed of Abraham according to the flesh was because they were uncircumcised in heart o Ier. 9.25 26. and therefore the Lord threatned to visite them and did visit them with the uncircumcised in flesh Wherefore it appeareth that without faith and circumcision of the heart they could not stand at all And the Scripture saith that the unbeleeving Jewes were cut off for unbeliefe and that those that stand doe stand by faith and therefore are admonished not to be high minded but fear p Rom. 11.20 and take heed q v 21. and continue in the beautifulnesse of God r v. 22. and that the unbeleeving Jewes also if they abide not in unbeliefe shall be grafted in again Å¿ v. 23. Wherefore it appeareth that as unbeliefe was the cause why the unbeleeving Jewes were cut off from the olive tree whereon they were so unbeliefe was the bar which kept them off for if they abide not in unbeliefe they shall be grafted in again and this proveth that their standing was never to be otherwise but by faith and circumcision of the heart Neither are we to thinke that the giving of the Law at mount Sinai or the ceremonies which the Jewes then had to lead them to Christ or any of Gods Oracles being committed unto them or any persons groundlesse departing from the State doth argue that the constitution of the same Church was as you would have it taken to be Neither did their circumcision of the flesh argue that they stood not by faith and circumcision of the heart no more then the outward baptisme doth now argue that the Saints now stand not by faith and the inward baptisme of the heart and spirit but meerly upon nature and baptisme of the flesh But you should know that as it is not possible to please God now without faith * Heb. 11.6 no more was it then * Psal 50.18 In the time of the Law God abhorred his own Ordinances if they were not done in faith * Isa 1.13 14. And as faith gave Abraham the denomination of Gods friend the righteousnesse of which faith Circumcision was a seal * Rom. 4.11 so none were ever esteemed as the holy people the sonnes and daughters and friends of God but those that were made nigh unto him by the promise of Christ and by faith and circumcision of the heart And you should know that the Jewes had not outward spirituall holinesse visibly imputed unto them meerly because they were the children of Abraham but because Abraham their Father and they his children were the children of God and their childrens children were in Covenant and so they were the children of the promise as Isaack was and blessed with their Father Abraham And this may further appeare unto you because when any of the seed of Abraham according to the flesh did degenerate their rejection was not for or because that they were the children of Abraham but because they had taken upon them the image of Satan and so degenerated from the steps of Abraham and thereby became the children of Belial And as we may say concerning these Hebrews so we may say concerning the Heathens when any of the Gentiles or Heathens became Prosolites their childeren that were at yeares of discretion were not to be circumcised unlesse they were willing to enter into covenant with God and to take upon them the Lords yoake and fight under his banner Howbeit whether they were circumcised or not they were still the Prosolytes children according to the flesh But concerning the infants of the Prosolytes there was no questioning of them they were to be circumcised being in the covenant with their parents and yet not circumcised because they were their childeren by nature but because they were in the same covenant with their holy parents and so they were the childeren of God by his free Grace And the Scripture doth evidently declare that none were to be admitted into the Church of the Jewes but believing Hebrews and Prosolytes and their holy seed By all this it apeareth that the members of the Jewes state had a spirituall holinesse upon them and stood no otherwise but by faith and circumcision of the heart And were not as those who were neither beleeving Jewes nor Prosolytes Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel without hope without God in the world without Christ and strangers from the covenants of promise But the Church of the Jewes the Lorâ—s peculiar people were made nigh unto God by the blooâ— of Jesus Christ which was then to be shed and is now shed for the remission of their sins and their reconciliation to God the father and his blessed spirit And whereas you say that the state or Church of the Jews is abollished I tell you I am not bound to beleeve that God abollished his Chuâ—ch state whereof David Solomon Hezekias Josias and the holy Prophets and righteous men were members such a Church at the constitution whereof there was no prophane person to be admitted or any root beating gall or wormwood to be suffered but if you thinke that God changed the state in the daies of the Messias his manifestation in the flesh and made it more glorious Even as the Moone is said to be changed when shee hath run her course but remaineth still the same Moone though more glorious then before this I would rather beleeve then that And touching your speech of the abolishing of the other things If you mean an abolishing of all the beggarly rudiments taking away the Elimentish part of some Ordinances and planting other materialls in stead thereof then I grant it But be sure that you stick to this that Christ came not to deceive the Infants of beleeving parents to take away the substance of the Ordinances but rather the yoakes which cleaved thereunto which circumstantiall things he nayled to his Crosse in token that those who rightly and truely enjoyed them before were now benefited without them and were to have through a generall distribution an equall proportionable share and right to whatsoever came in stead thereof Now let us consider that if the infants of beleevers members of the Church of the Jews were not then aliens from the Common wealth of Israel nor without hope nor without God in the world They were not then without Christ neither were they Strangers from the Covenants
them so he doth not onely come unto them but cast his garment of righteousnesse over them and dwell with them and abide in them Isa 22.21 and is a father unto them as he was to the Inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem Our God is a God of truth and therefore he will not deceive his pâ—ople nor break his Covenant which he hath made with them which Covenant is to his Saints thus I will be a God unto thee and to thy seed * Gen. 17.7 I will be their God ** Ver. 8. So sayth the Spirit of Truth who will not nor cannot lye Who for strengthening of his peoples faith and encreasing of their comfort that their hearts in loving him might be enlarged and their joy in delighting in him might be full he did command a visible signe and seale of the rigâ—tâ—ousnesse of faith to be imposed upon them and upon their seed whose Gâ—d he had testified himselfe to be Now those persons to whom God is a God they are blessed in a speciall manner * Psal 33.12 and he is a father unto them * Esa 9.6 and those persons to whom God is a God and a Father are seperated from Idolaters and are a holy * 1 Cor. 7.14 2 Cor. 6.17 peculiar people unto him directly opposed to those who are uncleane * Rev. 22.11.15 Isa 52.11 Rev. 21.7 8. and out of the Covenant But God is a God and a Father to the infants of beleeving parents now as he was formerly for his holy Covenant is sure and therefore such infants even the holy off spring and blessed issue of the blessed are all the sonnes daughters of God and are to be accounted amongst the number of seperated Saints in covenant with him for he hath promised to be a God and a father unto the beleeving Gentiles 2 Cor. 6.18 as he was unto the beleeving Jewes Gen. 17.7 Jer. 31.1 Concerning whom the Lord sayth Their children shall be as aforetime Jer. 30.20 Jer. 30.20 whose holinesse is directly opposed to the Idolatry of those Idolaters which the Lord commandeth his blessed Saints to sepâ—rate from and is quite contrary to this uncleannesse which unbeleevers and their infants have who though they are not bastards yet they are unholy because they are out of the Covenant and God is not their God nor father to hallow theÌ„ as he is to the holy children of beleeving Gentiles and as he was to the holy children of the Jewes in covenant with him Thus the Contents of your exposition being not right wee may justly conceive that all the Scripture which you bring to confirme it will be wrong in the application and your grounds false But let us heare further what you say A. R. Lin. 29. A. R. Lin. 30. And I will shew my ground by my thus opening the Text. The believing Corinthians both men and women married and single do joyne in a Letter to the Apostle for resolution of many of their doubts touching their severall conditions this appeares in the first verse and thence to the 12 and their doubts in this particular and which he answers in the five verses following seemes to be this in effect as if they should thus write we being borne anew and made the Sonnes and Daughters of God â—y Faith in Jesus Christ and being made holy by his spirit and taken into Communion and fellowship with Jesus Christ and his Saints in light from an estate of darkenesse and death from being Idolaters and Children of thâ— Devill have very uncomfortable cohabitation and felloship with our wives and husbands remaining still in their naturall and blind condition so farre different from the estate into which we are now brought Surely our holy God that bids us touch no uncleane thing doth not allow us thus to do And wee fâ—are least wee have done very ill in continuing thus so long for our Marriage wee cannot thinke but it was dissolved when wee first beleeved And wee ought then to have put away our wives as the Jewes diâ— their strange wives and unto this the Apostle begins his answer in the 12. verse thus And unto the rest to wit of your doubts speak I not the Lord If any Brother have a wife that beleeveth not if she be content to dwell with him let him not put her away And the woman that hath a husband that beleeveth not if he be pleased to dwell with her let her not leave him for the unbeleeving husband is sanctified to the wife and the unbeleeving wife is sanctified to the beleeving husband else were your Children uncleane but now they are holy As if the Apostle should have said to them thus you Corinthians do doubt of your coâ—abitation with your unbeleeving married yoke-mates of â—hicâ— tâ—â—re is no cauâ—e for to the pure all things are pure that is all lâ—â—â—ull 〈…〉 namely whatsoever is lawfull in nature or civill use is 〈…〉 to the beleever and yet even those things are impure to the impâ—â—e or uâ—belâ—â—ving for even their mindes and consciences are defiled Tit. 1.15 But to the Belâ—ever all things are pure that is as I have alreaâ—y said all lawfull things for things that are unlawfull in themselves câ—â—â—â—t be sanctified by â—â—e faith of a truâ— Bâ—leeâ—er no not to his use but mâ—â—t be lâ—fâ— and 〈◊〉 as siâ—full and wiâ—kâ—d which if your cohabitation werâ— such as you iâ— wâ—akâ—â—sse iudge then â—as nâ—t your marriage lawfull at the first then it is not lawfull nor sanctified to yâ—u now as you judge it is not and then are your children uncleane But if your marriage were at fiâ—st lawfull then your Cohabitations now with your â—oke-mates is likewise lawfull and then also sanctified to you now by your beleeving else were your children uncleane that is unlawfully begotten and Bastards but now are they holy that is Legitimate and no Bastards Ans Here hath been many words to little purpose as appeareth by your own Conclusion for the Tenour of all is that which you have affirmed before * Paâ— 9. lin 26 27. which is your Conclusion now * Pâ—â— 10 lin 31 32. As if the Apostle should say Else were your Children unlawfully begotten and bastards but now are they legitimate and no bastards A very poore collection or rather restriction of the Apostles words But that this restriction is in the Text wee must take it upon your bare word for you have brought no Scripture which any way cleareth this your Affirmation But it hath been proved before that the Apostle meaneth a religious holinesse a holinesse in relation to faith and to the holy Covenant of God in which Câ—venant bâ—lâ—evers their infants are now under the Gospel And this may further appeare unto you by these Considerations First That the Apostle in this place of Scripture speaketh not of all infants but onely of the infants of beleeving parents in Coâ—enant for he doth not say to unbeleevers that their children are holy neither
would inferre that because beleevers are exhorted by Paul to performe their civill Covenants and lawfull Contracts which they have made with men that therfore it appeareth that the gloss which you gave upon the Apostles words 1 Cor. 7.14 is a true interpretation What weight is in your words let any one that hath sence and reason judge For the like might have been objected in the time of the Law against the infants of the Church then whom the Lord did call and sanctifie and cause to approach neere unto him that because the parents and others were to performe their Conditions and bargains which they made each with other or with strangers not changing Psal 15.4 or going from their word though it were to their hindrance that therefore their holy infants then had no more holinesse then a meer lâ—gittimacie nor were different from the infants of Heathens and Infidells Were it not foolishnesse thus to thinke much more to affirme yea surely and therefore such affirmations of yours are to be taken for sensles imaginations and vaine conceptions not worthy to be uttered to any much lesse unto many Neither should they at this time have been mentioned heer but to manifest the vanitie thereof That reasonable creatures may not be deluded by such unreasonable collections and false inferences But may examine what they receive before they receive it and embrace nothing but what is agreeable to the Rule of Truth Further you say A. R. Pag. 11. at lin 5. to lin 23. And this may likewise appeare in Mal. 2.14 15. where the Spirit of God by the Prophet sheweth the reasons why their offerings were no more accepted because saith he God hath been witnesse between thee and the wife of thy youth that is his first wife then living against whom thou hast dealt treacherously yet shee is thy companion and the wife of thy Covenant and did not he make one yet had he aboundance of the Spirit and wherefore one in that he sought a godly or holy seed therefore keepe your selves in spirit and let none trespasse against the wife of his youth In which words it plainly appeareth that the scope of the place is that those Children which are generated by one man and one woman lawfully married are a godly or holy seed and those that are generated otherwise are not so but Bastards And the reason of this holinesse ariseth not here from any relation they had to the Jewish State nor from any Church Covenant but meerly from Gods first Institution of Marriage in the Creation and his then providing one woman for one man and which therefore is of Vniversall concernment to all man-kinde by the Law of Creation Ans Herein you pervert the Scripture and bring such Conclusions therefrom which are not included therein Whereas you say it is his first wife then living I aske you why not his second * Jacob had 2 wives Leah and Rachell the one was elder then the other and one was married before the other But the children which he had by theÌ„ as also those by Billa and Zilpah were all holy in their infancie and so are the Infants of beleevers a godly and holy seed and all other Infants are otherwise whether legitimate or illegitimate wife then living If you will limit it onely to the first wife then it seems by your speech that he might deale treacherously with the other and beare no blame for it But you should know that these Jewes to whom the Lord speaketh were taught to follow the righteous steps of their holy parents and not to deale treacherously with any of their wives You say that the scope of this place in Mal. 2.14 15. is That those Children which are generated by one man and one woman lawfully married are a godly or holy seed and those that are generated otherwise are not so but Bastards But that this is the scope of the place wee must take upon your bare word or else choose for Scripture to prove it you have none But by these your speeches it seemeth that you would have us to beleeve that godlines holines of children dependeth upoÌ„ the parents lawfull generating of them And so by this it will follow that all the legitimate Infidells in the world are godly and holy both young and old which is very strange and absurd and overthroweth the Scriptures which declareth that there hath been alwayes a difference between the holy and prophane between beleevers and Infidells between the Infants of the Church and the Infants out of the Church one sort being called the children of God the other the children of men Againe This speech of yours in saying that the children of one man and one woman lawfully married are a godly and holy seed and those that are generated otherwise are not so but Bastards It doth imply that then all legitimated persons shall be saved and that no Bastards shall be saved And so out of your owne mouth for ought you know you bring a heavie censure and sentence of condemnation against your selfe for it seemeth by your words that your owne assurance of salvation must rest meerly upon humane testimony for you know not whether you are legitimate or no but by the testimony of your parents which if they were not lawfully married at the time of your begetting then where is your godlines and holines You have it not at all upon your own grounds howsoever at the best I thinke you will say that you have it not from your owne knowledge but by humane testimony But for your comfort you should consider that in a religious respect a Bastard if he be a Convert must not be rejected as a cast-away for although his father and his mother sinned in his procreation yet their sinne shall not be imputed unto him neither will the Lord reject him any whit the more for his being unlawfully begotteÌ„ Yea though beleeving parents should through temptation derogate from Gods institution by begetting children contrary to Gods Law yet we will not say but as there is repentance forgivenesse for the parents returning unto God so the beleeving parents may have hope from the Scripture that sweet fountaine of consolation that God will not impute that their sinne unto their children who never sinned actually but will receive them to mercy with themselves So Davids childe which he had by the wife of Vriah the Hittite though it was unlawfully begotten contrary to Gods institution in Paradise yet it doth evidently appeare that we have no ground to say that the infant was out of Gods covenant any more then David was David repented and his sinne was forgiven him and his childe was cleane both in a civill and religious respect the which cannot justly be sayd of any infant whose parents are both of them unbeleevers though they are lawfull husband and wife and the childe legitimate yet the parents being neither of them in the Covenant were not to esteem any of their Infants
h Rom. 10.12 unto all that call upon him And though some doe not beleeve it maketh not the faith of God of none effect no more then the infidelitie of some persons then for God was still good unto Israel his faithfull Jewes and Proselytes that were of an upright heart and so he is now Thirdly It is said And the key of the house of David Isa 22. ver 22. will I lay upon his shoulder so he shall open and none shall shut and he shall shut and none shall open And the very same with this is applyed unto Christ Jesus as is mentioned in Rev. 3.7 These things sayth he that is holy he that is true he that hath the key of David that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth c. Thus through his knowledge this righteous servant is made able to justifie many 53.11 to open to whom he will and to shut out whom he will but he shutteth not out the infants of beleevers for he declared Of such is the kingdome of God Fourthly He sayth I will fasten him as a nayle in a sure place Note here he is said to be fastned as a nayle in a sure place A nayle in a sure place is such a thing upon which other things have dependance so that if the nayle fall all those things fall which are upon it But if the nayle be sure all those things which hang thereon are still upheld by the strength thereof Now the Lord Jesus Christ is this nayle and he is strong and powerfull he is perfect and pure no sinne or brittlenesse was found in him he was capable to beare the burden that was put upon him and able to beare it Yea and much more doth it appeare in that he is fastned as a nayle in a sure * The safenes of holy infants consisteth in the surenes of Jesus Christ Hee is unto them as the sure place is unto him whose choyse burden shall not be taken downe till the time appointed of the Father place his humanitie is in heaven and there it is seated and united with his divinitie and there is his place of rest and abiding he is at the right hand of God bearing us and yet thinketh not himselfe over-burdened he is able to beare and doth beare all his holy vessels both great and small even the off-spring and the issue the vessels of small quantitie so that it is as possible to pluck God out of heaven as to take away his former favours which he hath extended and doth extend towards the faithfull and their seed * Isa 59.21 As for me this is my Covenant which I will make with them saith the Lord the spirit that is upon thee and the words that I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of Thy mouth nor out of the month of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds-seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Fifthly It is said And he shall be for a glorious throne unto his fathers house that is a resting place and a place of Judgement * Psal 122.5 Justice Righteousnesse is the girdle of his loynes and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reines * Isa 11.4 And this is Christ Jesus our Lord who doth all things by his own power resteth not upon any humane thing but only upon his own divinitie in whose name we ought to doe all which we doe Mat. 18.20 and he hath promised upon the same to be in the middest of us to ratifie those divine actions which proceed from our sincere affections And as he hath promised the tree of life * Rev. 2.7 and hidden Manna * 17. and morning starre * 28. even his own selfe * 24.16 3.21 unto us so hath he promised to grant us to sit with him in his throne Now he is not sayd to be for a glorious throne unto any but unto his fathers house there is this glorious throne set in the middest of this heavenly Regiment in the middest of his Temple there is Jesus as a throne or seate Revel 4.6.8 yea further in the middest of the throne and round about the throne there are also the foure animalls said to be which are full of eyes before and behinde and rest not neither day nor night crying Holy holy holy Lord God Almightie which was and is and is to come Isa 22. ver 24. Sixthly It is sayd further And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his fathers house Here is a weightie sentence full of substance This glorious throne and holy nayle which is fastned so surely is done for no sleight intent but it is for great purpose namely to beare all the gloâ—ie of his fathers house It is his fathers pleasure to exercise him in bearing our glory which is his glory our brightnesse which is his brightnesse for indeed wee have no comelinesse but from him and we cannot beare our selves but he must beare us wee are the burden and he is our upholder he dependeth upon that which will not faile him and we depend upon him which will not faile us And this Angelicall patron hath taught the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and the house of Judah even his Church to fasten upon him all the glory of his fathers-house It is then an Ordinance from heaven that we shall so do as he hath sayd And this institution therefore being not of man but of God it will stand and it being an injunction laid upon us all that wee must both young and old have dependencie upon this nayle even the Lord Jesus wee must doe so Now if wee take this word shall prophetically it being also a declaration of what should happen though it now be historicall to us wee may still see the fulfilling of it in Mat. 19.13 Mar. 10.13 Luk. 18.15 where the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and the house of Judah brought their children unto Christ and he took them up and bare them in his armes A reall signe of his love unto them indeed And his Saints now doe esteem their Infants blessed in Jesus Christ and doe depend upon him that he will circumcise their hearts and the heart of their seed to love him more and more according to his gracious promise Deut. 30.6 And this is that which this Propheticall and Documentall sentence teacheth us when it sayth They shall hang or cause to relie or depend upon him all the glorie of his fathers house The least glorie must not be left out but all must be brought in and layd upon him He is the object upon whom they must fix their eyes He is the nayle upon which they must fasten them for so is his Command Mar. 10.14 Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdome of God As if he should say They are the burden which I must beare because they are part of the